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Topic : 08/01 Extreme Highs and Lows

Number of Replies: 1257

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Created on : Friday, March 03, 2006, 12:43:32 pm

Author : DrPhilBoard1

(Original Air Date: 03/07/06) Dr. Phil explores the ups and downs of bipolar disorder. This illness takes its victims on an emotional rollercoaster ride -- from elation to extreme irritability, intense rage, or devastating depression. First, Cathy was diagnosed with Bipolar II, 10 years ago and claims she goes from zero to psycho in 15 seconds. Dr. Phil takes a look at the toll her disorder takes on her two boys, and brings the family together for a dramatic moment of emotional healing. Then, during various manic episodes, Fred has stolen a taxi, crashed into a Starbucks, and climbed to the top of a church. He hears voices and believes that movie stars like Denzel Washington and Robert De Niro are talking to him through their movies. Still, Fred thinks he’s ready to move out of his parents’ house and live on his own for good … but should his family let him? Talk about the show here.

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MIL with bipolar

My ex MIL has what she calls "manic depressive" disorder, which i'm assuming is bipolar today. I don't know how her children survived her episodes. On her good days, she bought the kids clothes and toys and took them places. On her bad days, she used every name in the book (and I mean bad ones) even to the littlest 5 year old. On one of her binges, she went out and bought new kitchen appliances, a stereo, and new bedset. Her poor husband couldn't afford it, but when the issue came of taking it back, she went ballistic. I can remember her playing opera music at full volume at 3 am. She was extremely nice to me some days, then hostile on others. She often blamed her son (my ex) for everything that went wrong in the family. I know that she was taking as many pills as her doctor could prescribe her, but I don't think she ever admitted to being bipolar. She would tell her kids they were going to hell for all sorts of reasons. The saddest part is that one of her sons committed suicide rather than return home after losing a job. She scared the hell out of me.

I know how you all feel

When I left my boyfriend two years ago, I moved into a house with a girl who was diagnosed bipolar. She was heavily medicated and went into the hospital 3 times when I first met her. I visited her everyday. Since then, she has been undiagnosed with bipolar at least 3 times then rediagnosed. She then went to "talk therapy". She has been off her medications for a year now, and was doing fine up until recently. Now she is looking to go to another doctor because she is not doing so well. I feel helpless (she is my best friend) and dont know what to do. She is afraid of being overmedicated, unable to feel the basic feelings of happy, sad, aggrivated, and afraid she will be unable to keep her job if they start her on meds again. It was SO sad to see this young, beautiful adult unable to get out and function as a young adult. To make it worse, her mother doesnt believe that she has any problems at all, and it is all for attention. Who would be that way for attention? Who would want to be that way? The answer is (my opinion) no one would do that on purpose. I think that a lot of an episode comes out of a stressful situation. She is now working full time and is terrified she will lose her job if she starts to medicate herself again.&nbsp

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So, how do you be that rock, or support for her? Although I realize that it is not TOTALLY my job, it is because she does not have it at home. I love her and she is my best friend and I have to do something to help her and support her when she does decide what is needed. I am just afraid for her.&nbsp

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I also have a friend who is highly paranoid schyzophrenic, one who is highly agoraphobic, and another who is just depressed (along with my own diagnosis of depression, which I am taking care of myself because I didnt like the medication I was on). I have been to the hospital and was there for my friend everyday she was there. I try to understand where she is in her stability and what her limits are for that paticular time in her life. She has already said she needs me right now, and I am there for her. I have never once in my life made someone feel badly for having problems, and the fact that there are kids out there who CAN be so cruel (although what they say is kids are) disgusts me. If it were not for the differences that made us up, then we wouldnt have any at all. Children DO learn a lot from the adults in their life... Perhaps those parents should think about what they say in front of their children and actually explain to their child what differences mean. My son is 5 and he doesnt make fun of anyone. I have to commend him for that. He has been to the hospital on visits and has been to her house all the time because he loves her no matter what. Unconditional love is what can help us get through....&nbsp

03/07 Extreme Highs and Lows

I just saw the commercial for this show and had to register to post. I was diagnosed with rapid cycling bi-polar disorder in 1999 after years and years of misdiagnosis. I've been hospitalized twice and have been on more different types of medication than I can remember. Right now I'm on 4 different ones. It doesn't completely take my drastic mood swings away, but it does help. &nbsp

&nbsp

Just watching the small piece of the woman trying to explain incidences where she thinks she's going to hurt/kill someone...my GOD...it's ME! My rages can and have gotten out of control. We don't have a gun in the house because my husband is afraid I'd use it. I've come after him with my fists and with knives...it's shameful to admit. With the medication, I'm usually on an even keel, but when I get pushed too far I snap and there's nothing I can do about it. My mind is gone and the rage takes over.&nbsp

&nbsp

In my depressed state, I don't do anything. I have 0 energy, stay on the couch, don't get dressed. My kids fend for themselves and I turn to self mutilation.&nbsp

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Like a lot of people with this problem, you get on the medicine, you feel fine..then you stop taking it thinking you don't need it anymore, then go into a tailspin. Hopefully I've learned my lesson now. I haven't stopped taking my meds since my last hospital stay over a year ago.&nbsp

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I have no social life. I don't leave the house unless I absolutely have to. Once a week I go to the grocery store. I have it down to a science where I can get there and get back home in an hour. I no longer talk to my friends and when holiday visiting/birthdays come around I stay away from everyone and I'm only good for about 2 hours until I start freaking to go home. &nbsp

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There's so much more..I can't find the words. I don't talk about this unless it's with my doctors...it's been a very long time since I've opened up about it all. Thanks for listening to me vent. I hope I can meet a lot of other bi-polars here thanks to this show. If anyone knows on any forums for bi-polars...PLEASE let me know!&nbsp

Bipolar

I'm a 28 year old female who's Bipolar and do you have some support groups in the Dayton, Ohio area i'm not on any meds i have been on more than a dozen and they made me worse i have no support in my family or friends i feel like my life is really going down hill even more please help&nbsp

Have a 10 year old son

Hi,&nbsp

My son is 10 and has been diagnosed with a few different things. He has ADHD, Tourette's Depression and a touch of OCD. I can sympathize with the parents on this board who have kids with mental illnesses. People either blast you for putting your child on meds (which they need) or consider you a bad parent because you can't always control their behavior. I am very lucky that my son has an excellent child psychiatrist and a wonderful counselor. He's doing great in school this year but we've encountered a problem recently. He doesn't want to take his meds anymore. He takes Celexa for the depression. ADHD meds bring out full blown Tourette's in him so he can't tolerate them. I've tried to explain to him that he feels really crappy when he doesn't take it, but reasoning with a 10 year old just doesn't work. I make sure he gets them but some nights it is a huge struggle and I'm so tired of the same fight night after night. I suppose some people have it much worse than me so I count my blessings. It is just so hard to watch your child struggle with something that is so completely out of your control. Anyway, I wish much luck to everyone that is struggling with mental illness and urge them to seek the help they need.&nbsp

There is hope

There is hope for Bi-polar! I had a baby in April and in August I snapped. I had had some ups and downs in my life but never knew what it was. This is the worst I ever felt. My husband and I found a great psychologist and psychiatrist to help. I was diagnosised with Bi-polar II, ADHD (which I already knew about) and anxiety. The Bi-polar was brought out by post-partum depression. I am now on a few medications; abilify, lamactil, seroquel, adderall and nortriptoline. I am doing better than ever. I forget that I have Bi-polar most of the time. I keep a journal to record how I am doing and that is helpful, too. When I was diagnosised I made the decision that I would control the illness and it would not control me! I hope that all of you are able to find the help I have found. &nbsp

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As far as this disorder being hereditary, yes it is. All of the women on my mom's side of the family have it or another disorder along the lines of it. It is a good idea to keep an eye out for your children and look for signs of the disorder. If you suspect it DO NOT WAIT to get help. The longer you wait the worse it can get. &nbsp

drugs

I'm a 28 year old female who's Bipolar and do you have some support groups in the Dayton, Ohio area i'm not on any meds i have been on more than a dozen and they made me worse i have no support in my family or friends i feel like my life is really going down hill even more please help&nbsp

What drugs have been prescribed. Any class of serotonin reuptake inhibitors actually will push you inot a manic phase and cause worse symptoms. These include lexipro, prozac, Zoloft, wellbutrin, etc. Equatro is a new drug for people with bipolar disorders 1 and 2. It is a carbazapine class. So maybe you should see your psychiatrist about it.

drugs

I'm a 28 year old female who's Bipolar and do you have some support groups in the Dayton, Ohio area i'm not on any meds i have been on more than a dozen and they made me worse i have no support in my family or friends i feel like my life is really going down hill even more please help&nbsp

What drugs have been prescribed. Any class of serotonin reuptake inhibitors actually will push you inot a manic phase and cause worse symptoms. These include lexipro, prozac, Zoloft, wellbutrin, etc. Equatro is a new drug for people with bipolar disorders 1 and 2. It is a carbazapine class. So maybe you should see your psychiatrist about it.

Share your pain

I just saw the commercial for this show and had to register to post. I was diagnosed with rapid cycling bi-polar disorder in 1999 after years and years of misdiagnosis. I've been hospitalized twice and have been on more different types of medication than I can remember. Right now I'm on 4 different ones. It doesn't completely take my drastic mood swings away, but it does help. &nbsp

&nbsp

Just watching the small piece of the woman trying to explain incidences where she thinks she's going to hurt/kill someone...my GOD...it's ME! My rages can and have gotten out of control. We don't have a gun in the house because my husband is afraid I'd use it. I've come after him with my fists and with knives...it's shameful to admit. With the medication, I'm usually on an even keel, but when I get pushed too far I snap and there's nothing I can do about it. My mind is gone and the rage takes over.&nbsp

&nbsp

In my depressed state, I don't do anything. I have 0 energy, stay on the couch, don't get dressed. My kids fend for themselves and I turn to self mutilation.&nbsp

&nbsp

Like a lot of people with this problem, you get on the medicine, you feel fine..then you stop taking it thinking you don't need it anymore, then go into a tailspin. Hopefully I've learned my lesson now. I haven't stopped taking my meds since my last hospital stay over a year ago.&nbsp

&nbsp

I have no social life. I don't leave the house unless I absolutely have to. Once a week I go to the grocery store. I have it down to a science where I can get there and get back home in an hour. I no longer talk to my friends and when holiday visiting/birthdays come around I stay away from everyone and I'm only good for about 2 hours until I start freaking to go home. &nbsp

&nbsp

There's so much more..I can't find the words. I don't talk about this unless it's with my doctors...it's been a very long time since I've opened up about it all. Thanks for listening to me vent. I hope I can meet a lot of other bi-polars here thanks to this show. If anyone knows on any forums for bi-polars...PLEASE let me know!&nbsp

How terrible it is for you to feel this way. With the right therpeutic help it does not have to be this way. I have dealt with Dysthymia. This is too a mood disorder. It is a chronic low grade depression with bouts of severe depression. I know how you feel when you are low. Usually what happens is the medications for bipolar often blunt affect. A lot of famous people who did great things had bipolar disorder. There is a book about Marie Carry who after studying her life had bipolar one disorder. She had extremely low moods where she could not get out of bed for weeks. She also had weeks of mania where she discovered radium. So don't feel terrible. You are not alone. There a many great people, writers, doctors, actors, scientists who have this disorder. They often suffer in silence. You coming out will help others. I honestly don't think mental health is very helpful with regard to this disorder. It is not a highly understood medical condition. There are new drugs for this disorder and I would check with your doctor about them Equatro being one of them. I would also keep a jouranl of your cycles. I know it is hard sometimes to muster up the energy but I would try it as much as possible. I would take the journal to your doctor to give him more information so he can implement a more effective treatment. Remember you are not alone. There are millions suffering with this disorder. Good luck.